It's been a while since I joined in with Susan's Outdoor Wednesday, so I thought I would bring you a few photos of the back garden again today.Sad news - Hubby has lost interest in the garden! Not surprising really, the bugs this year have really taken their toll on the plants and despite the fact we were getting a few green beans and I've had some tomatoes, alot of the plants just look nasty :-( Their leaves look terrible and other than reverting to pesticides (which we haven't done) we don't really know what else to do.
You may have noticed I haven't added any pictures to my garden blog for a few weeks and it's because of the lack of interest, which in turn makes me not want to go out there (that PLUS the heat, oh I can't stand the heat this time of year!) - well, I do my best is all I can say! Here's a few pictures I snapped earlier this week. . . .
The sunflowers did go crazy, but they have tiny heads. These aren't the ones hubby said he planted which he thought were 'giant sunflowers'? At least we don't think they are. Hubby thinks some plant from last year seeded itself - I haven't a clue, I just know it looks like a jungle in that bed and they will eventually have to be pulled out!
There's no denying they're pretty (click on the picture to get a closer look) but something is eating even these poor plants, which you can see when you take a closer look . . .
Here's a picture of some of the garden, in the forefront is my herb garden - the basil is finally taking off, and in the background the new bed of beans I planted a few weeks ago.
The bed to the left of the herb bed has some butternut squash in it, they seem to be doing ok - you can see their leaves creeping over the ground to the left there....
and here's a lovely butternut squash. I have two big ones like this. I hope I can make my yummy soup with them once they are ready.
Above pic! A broccoli plant that never got any broccoli on it and has been eaten alive by bugs :( We did get some heads of broccoli off 3 other plants and I'll post them to my garden blog when I update it.
Finally, I cut some of the sunflowers and put them in a vase outside with some mint and thyme from my herb garden that are flowering too! Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday. Don't forget to visit Susan and the other wonderful participants today.Also linking to An Oregon Cottage for Tuesday Garden Party
18 comments:
I like your garden beds. But hate it when the bugs start eating everything. They were eating my red knockout rose bush so I got some kind of spray and it seems to have controlled them.
Do you do anything with your sunflower seeds?
Hi!
Nice garden, what the bugs haven't eaten. We had the same thing a couple years ago. I never did find out what bugs were eating the plants. I used something called 7-5 Dust and that didn't help either. Have a great day!
Sherrie
Sherrie's Stuff
I think when the heat sets in, everyone is a bit bored with gardening. That and the bugs. I have the same problem with my hollyhocks. Something eats the leaves and makes them look like spider webs. Thankfully I still get flowers but the rest of the plant looks awful.
I think the sunflowers looks so pretty in the vase. Even if they weren't the ones you thought you planted, they make nice cut flowers.
xoxo
Jane
I love the flowers in the vase. My garden is starting to look nasty too. We do still have some tomatoes that we are waiting for and some summer squash that is about to be ready. Our basil is doing great, but everything else, no so great. It is just too darn hot here to grow anything. Carla
Hi Denise,
Sorry to hear about the bugs in the garden and the heat. It is hot and humid here..ick.
I love the sunflowers in the vase, pretty!!
Hope you are having a blessed day sweetie.
love and hugs
Outdoor Wednesday ... lovin' it. Thanks for introducing me as I will pop over later.
Delighted to meet you today. I hope you don't mind if I splash around a bit to get to know you better. This looks like a delightful place to slip off my shoes and splash around.
Splashin,
Sara
What a pretty garden Denise:))
Happy Outdoor Wednesday~~~
Kay Ellen
Wonderful garden.
Joyce
I love the flowers that you cut. I would be so upset if I had done all of that work and then bugs come and eat it all up!
Hi Denise, if it makes you feel better, nothing is really growing here. Just to dry and we water almost every night. At this rate I might have squash by July or August. Everything is just really late.
It's not the heat I mind but the humidity. I love the heat, but can't stand the stickiness of the humidity. We could use some rain to cool things down.
Hope your having a great week.
Hugs,
Cindy
Denise,
Thanks for splashing around with me! You sent a tidal wave of encouragement my way.
Hugs for your day,
Sara
it's so disheartening when that happens. I've had very few runner and green beans survive this year, 'cos of rotten snails and slugs. The only ones that have survived (and are flowering) are the ones in a pot on the patio. They have flowered this week, so beans are afoot! My pumpkins are doing well, though the biggest one is looking a bit squidgy, which doesn't bode well. My spuds have gone beserk on top, so hopefully that's a good sign for something happening underneath!
Sorry your garden is looking a bit sad, and especially sorry about the heat :o( not fun.
xx
Denise- So glad you found the Tuesday Garden Party, though I'm sorry the bugs have found you! Sometimes I just ignore them, as long as I can harvest anyway. :-) Other times I try some organic type sprays. I'm planning a test on some various types and see what works, so stay tuned. :-)
Hi Denise! I can understand not wanting to use pesticides. You could probably google some natural ways to fight insects. Jeff often takes a sample of a plant in to the nursery to ask what kind of bug or disease it has and they suggest ways to fight it. Yes, the heat makes it hard to keep a garden nice. You have to water a lot and we have restrictions on usage- not between 10 AM and 5 PM. (((Hugz)))
Hi Denise, thanks for your comment. Like you I don't want to use pesticide but I spray slightly soapy water on plants with bugs, it works great. I'm sure there are tons more ways to deal with them without using pesticides. Glad your herb garden is doing great. The butternut squash looks great. Hugs
Your garden is great, I love sunflowers big or small. They do look lovely in the vase. Wonderful photos!
Your garden look amazing!! You have so much!! I wish I could have that much, I sometimes get overwhelmed with what we have.
My girls want sunflowers, we have the seeds, just have never planted them!!!
Hi Denise I am also doing the Outdoor Wed this past week and finally am making my rounds. I love your sunflowers those are so fun to grow. You have another beautiful garden this year, enjoy it! Hugs
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